Assault of journalist, ASI: Police told to proceed as per law

LAHORE, Aug 3: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif has said that he will not accept any pressure in the case pertaining to violence of lawyers against media.

The chief justice observed this on Monday while directing the police to proceed strictly in accordance with the law during the hearing of the suo motu case against the lawyers involved in violence against a reporter and cameraman of a local TV channel at district and sessions courts.

He also directed the accused lawyers to take off their black coats and ties while appearing in the court.

Accused lawyers Rana Sajjad, Rana Asif, Abdul Hanif Awan and Rana Saeed Anwar who appeared in the court were on interim bail. The court cancelled the bail of fifth accused Mehar Jahangir advocate for his failure to appear.

The chief justice summoned the record of the case from the lower court and adjourned the hearing till Aug 6 as the accused lawyers sought time to engage their counsel. He, however, observed that allowing fortnightly interim bail to the accused lawyers was against the national judicial policy.

Court Reporters Association president Saeed Chaudhry contended that the lawyers’ representatives had promised not to create hurdles in the arrest of accused lawyers, but now some of them were defending the accused.

He said the lawyers had also sent mobile messages to bar members appealing to save their colleagues from the police and journalists. A majority of the bar members was present in the courtroom due to the said message.

He said the lawyers were not allowing the media to enter the sessions courts even after the suo motu notice of the case.

The Lahore SSP (operation) informed the court that no arrest was made as the accused were on bail.

A police contingent was present on the court premises to avoid any untoward incident during the hearing of the case.
Source: Dawn
Date:8/4/2009